The first 6,100-square foot outlet opens this week on a busy midtown Toronto street corner at 607 Danforth Ave, offering about a quarter of the goods available at the chain’s biggest stores, but at less than a tenth of the size.

The new Express store, one of four to six opening across the country by the end of 2014 in a pilot project, debuts as a glut of retailers seeks to penetrate urban spaces in Canada with small-footprint locations, including Sobeys, Loblaw and Best Buy. If the Express stores resonate with consumers over the next 12 to 18 months, Canadian Tire will roll the format out across the country.